Need A Blanket
by Shinodaluva
Summary: Tifa gets cold and Cloud finds a bra upstairs. Maybe one pea-sized fluffball. Contains an alternate ending in chapter 2 with a bit more fluff.
1. Ending 1

Among other things, Cloud was relentlessly shy. Tifa saw his emotional insecurity every time she gazed at his face; the one she'd grown so accustomed to witnessing before her after years of friendship the two shared. Even now Cloud would be helpless in many situations where he had to use his heart to resolve an issue. He wasn't outgoing or overly gregarious at all. He was Cloud. The runt of the litter; who knew his place. Even if Tifa was there to help him live and be loved, Cloud remained haunted by the memories and past actions that had shaped was nothing Tifa could do; her fighting skills useless against the unbearable onslaught of regret that enveloped Cloud's , she had thought, would be a day where her friend was home, canceling his delivery plans due to a sudden burst of shower outside. He was noticeably restless, which in Cloud terms meant he looked slightly more agitated than saw Cloud watching TV on the black leather sofa he'd gotten them for Christmas. It wasn't allowed to be sat on by bar patrons, so it was only slightly smiled to herself suddenly, seeing how even when he was uncomfortable Cloud looked like a dream.

"Tifa, you there," Cloud said. He wasn't inquisitive, but merely acknowledging her. Tifa stepped from aside the wall and sat beside him on the couch. Cloud shuffled a bit and moved away from her. "I heard you smiling."

"Funny, Cloud," Tifa replied as she sighed and turned towards the window that was to the left of the television. "Sorry it's raining so bad. It should get better soon." she said thoughtfully.

"That's what they say."Tifa bit her lip and put her hands on her lap.

"Say, Cloud," she said to him.

"Hm."

"I need a blanket." Cloud's eyes widened for a moment.

"Huh, you're cold?" he asked instinctively. His eyes sparkled with concern, and Tifa melted when she saw the Life that coursed within their crystal cage.

"Well, yes Cloud."Cloud looked dumbfounded, as if he had been cornered.

"I..." he started, then quickly regained his composure. "Alright." Cloud stood, his boots thumping noisily on the hardwood floor. He searched upstairs in the closet for an extra blanket. "Tifa!" he called to her suddenly.

"Yeah?" Tifa yelled back.

"There's a bra in here." Cloud stated nonchalantly. Sometimes Tifa wondered if he was laughing in his head; he was so serious. "Do you want me to put it somewhere?"

"In my room, Cloud!" Tifa blushed with embarrassment, though she still chuckled to herself. She heard her friend moving to her room before coming back downstairs with a thick black blanket. His eyes fell on her quickly.

"Here." he sat down beside Tifa and covered her with the blanket gingerly. Tifa snuggled with it gratefully.

"Thanks Cloud."

"Mm." he grunted, turning his attention to the softly-playing news on the television. Tifa bit her lip again, nervously, she thought. Cloud seemed so distant all of a sudden. She knew he was trying to adjust to being home, but he still remained as closed up as ever. She couldn't help but see the dullness in his eyes return, the same dark empty void that appeared whenever he thought of Aeris of thought in general. It worried her, as it made him seem so far away.

"Cloud..."

"Hm?'' his eyes returned to her.

"What's on your mind?" Cloud eyes roamed around like they did when he was searching for an answer; shooting back from object to object until they settled on Tifa's auburn gaze. He felt a sting of affection for her suddenly, one he'd only felt once before. He saw his friend, Tifa, and yet he also saw something else. That was what scared him the most.


	2. Alternate Ending

Among other things, Cloud was relentlessly shy. Tifa saw his emotional insecurity every time she gazed at his face; the one she'd grown so accustomed to witnessing before her after years of friendship the two shared. Even now Cloud would be helpless in many situations where he had to use his heart to resolve an issue. He wasn't outgoing or overly gregarious at all. He was Cloud. The runt of the litter; who knew his place. Even if Tifa was there to help him live and be loved, Cloud remained haunted by the memories and past actions that had shaped was nothing Tifa could do; her fighting skills useless against the unbearable onslaught of regret that enveloped Cloud's , she had thought, would be a day where her friend was home, canceling his delivery plans due to a sudden burst of shower outside. He was noticeably restless, which in Cloud terms meant he looked slightly more agitated than saw Cloud watching TV on the black leather sofa he'd gotten them for Christmas. It wasn't allowed to be sat on by bar patrons, so it was only slightly smiled to herself suddenly, seeing how even when he was uncomfortable Cloud looked like a dream.

"Tifa, you there," Cloud said. He wasn't inquisitive, but merely acknowledging her. Tifa stepped from aside the wall and sat beside him on the couch. Cloud shuffled a bit and moved away from her. "I heard you smiling."

"Funny, Cloud," Tifa replied as she sighed and turned towards the window that was to the left of the television. "Sorry it's raining so bad. It should get better soon." she said thoughtfully.

"That's what they say."Tifa bit her lip and put her hands on her lap.

"Say, Cloud," she said to him."Hm.""I need a blanket." Cloud's eyes widened for a moment.

"Huh, you're cold?" he asked instinctively. His eyes sparkled with concern, and Tifa melted when she saw the Life that coursed within their crystal cage.

"Well, yes Cloud."Cloud looked dumbfounded, as if he had been cornered.

"I..." he started, then quickly regained his composure. "Alright." Cloud stood, his boots thumping noisily on the hardwood floor. He searched upstairs in the closet for an extra blanket. "Tifa!" he called to her suddenly.

"Yeah?" Tifa yelled back."There's a bra in here." Cloud stated nonchalantly. Sometimes Tifa wondered if he was laughing in his head; he was so serious. "Do you want me to put it somewhere?"

"In my room, Cloud!" Tifa blushed with embarrassment, though she still chuckled to herself. She heard her friend moving to her room before coming back downstairs with a thick black blanket. His eyes fell on her quickly.

"Here." he sat down beside Tifa and covered her with the blanket gingerly. Tifa snuggled with it gratefully.

"Thanks Cloud."

"Mm." he grunted, turning his attention to the softly-playing news on the television. Tifa bit her lip again, nervously, she thought. Cloud seemed so distant all of a sudden. She knew he was trying to adjust to being home, but he still remained as closed up as ever. She couldn't help but see the dullness in his eyes return, the same dark empty void that appeared whenever he thought of Aeris of thought in general. It worried her, as it made him seem so far , she moved close enough to touch him, and Cloud started slightly as Tifa rested her head on his chest. She sighed quietly and noticed Cloud's indifference to her actions. He merely repositioned himself so she could be comfortable. He grunted as she pushed closer to him, feeling the soft hair along his arm raise. He looked down and swallowed gently with nervousness. Tifa's breath was slow and silent, and it comforted Cloud knowing she felt so safe with him. His eyes wandered the floor, eager to find a spot of interest. When none came, he looked back at his friend, whose eyes were closed. Her hand wrapped around his long fingers slowly."Tifa?" Cloud whispered. She gripped his hand."I heard you smiling."


End file.
